Abstract

Spermicides are chemical agents that immobilize/kill the spermatozoa in the vagina and exert their contraceptive effect in the female genital tract. Since most of the work on successful contraception concerns with ova. However, recent clinical trials have shown that detergent spermicides do not provide any protection against STDs and AIDS but may in fact even promote their transmission. The most commonly used compound is the neutral surfactant nonoxynol-9. Other spermicidal products which are structurally related to compound octoxynol or an alternative type of non-ionic surfactant, p-di-isobutyl-phenoxypolyethoxyethanol. Till no other natural or synthetic moieties are not available against sperms. Further recent advances are going on spermicidal activity in plants however success is not found. As it is suggested that sperm membrane sulfhydryl groups are important entities of the membrane and can be used as a tool for infertility assessment in unexplained male infertility and can be targeted for contraceptive research.